Grant-making foundations across the globe are increasingly using communications strategies that encourage critical thinking, discussion and knowledge-sharing to help shape policy change for even greater impact. As noted in the report ‘How Foundations Use Communications to Advance their Public Policy Work’, they are finding ways to leverage two of their greatest assets – knowledge and connections, rather than just relying on their grantmaking monies to drive change.
Social media is one such tool that foundations are using to raise awareness not just of the projects or programmes they support, but to position these within broader conversations about the social and structural issues that create the need for these programmes to begin with. They are using the immediacy and informality of social technologies to engage not just their grantees, but far larger audiences around key issues of the day, including the media, government stakeholders and ordinary citizens.
Launched this month, The DG Murray Trust’s official Facebook page forms part of the Foundation’s broader strategic communications goal of sustaining a constructive civil society that has the energy and capacity to drive new ideas and engage actively with the State to help influence public policy. So, in addition to showcasing the work and impact of its grantees, the platform will also be used to share ideas and information about social development to foster “ongoing and dynamic dialogue about lessons learned from previous grants, innovative solutions to issues, and trending topics in the field” (Council on Foundations).
Follow us on Facebook here.
